Ruffling and gathering attachment for sewing-machines



(Model.)

B. SEITZ. RUFFLIN'G AND GATHERING ATTAGHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Patented Feb. 19, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

EDW'ARD SEITZ, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

RUFFLING AND GATHERING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 398,193, dated February 19, 1889.

Application filed January 26, 1888. Serial No. 261,889. (ModeL) To all whom it may colwern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD SEITZ, of Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ruflier Attachments for Sewing- Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled. in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvementin sewing-machine attachments, and more particularly to that class of sewing-machine attachments known as rufliers.

The object of my in vention is to provide an improved ruifiing attachment which shall be simpler in construction, more effective and quicker in operation, will require less power to operate, and yet will be cheaper to manufacture and more easy of repair than the devices of this class heretofore constructed and commonly used.

Vith these ends in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is apers )ective view of my complete device. Fig. 2 is an elevation looking at the opposite side to that in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a top plan view; Fig. 4 a section on line a; as, Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a similar view illustrating a modification Fig. (i, a top plan view of the separatingblade and its supporting plate or bar, partially in section; and Fig. '7, a sectional view illustrating the manner of clamping the separator-blade-supporting plate to the base-plate.

In the drawings, the reference-letterA indicates a base-plate, which is provided with the foot B, to be attached to the pressure-bar of a sewing-machine or the like, as is usual. The base-plate is provided with an upright standard, a, to which is'pivoted one end of a forked operating-lever, 1), adapted to engage and be reciprocated by the needle-bar of a sewing-machinein any common or suitable manner.

0 represents a slide which carries a reciprocating ruffling-blade, c, and said slide 0 reciprocates upon the base-plate just to the right of the standard a, and hence below the operating-lever 1). Lugs or projections a a extend upwardly from the corresponding opposite front and rear edges of the base-plate and are adapted to support a guide-rod or track, 6, a suitable distance from the upper surface of the base-plate, and which passes through openings in the supporting-lugs and is held by them parallel with and slightly above the outer side of the slide carrying the ruffling-blade, which slide is provided with the sleeves c c, loosely embracing and sliding upon the guide-rod e. By employing this guide-rod the friction is greatly reduced and the slide is held firmly in position and cannot work loose, as has heretofore been the case where the slide is held in position and works in a dovetailed groove in the baseplate. The guide-rod is preferably made of such size as to be easily removed from the apertures in the lugs, so that the parts can be separated and repaired or cleaned. The inner side of the slide is provided with an arm, 0 which projects laterally from the slide through an elongated horizontal slot, 6', through the base or lower portion of the standard a, and carries upon its outer portion the ruffling-blade c, which is adapted to reciprocate beneath the heel of the foot B in the usual manner. The slot 6' is preferably cut in the side of the standard instead of in the lower edge or bend of the same, and the arm 0 extends directly through the slot and carries the blade without being bent 'downward, as it has been found that by this construction the operation of the ruffling-blade is improved.

The slide carrying the ruffling-blade is pr0- vided upon its upper surface next the standard a with an upwardly-extending piece or block, D, which is located upon the slide parallel with the plane in which it moves and below the operating-lever. Near one end the block is provided with a peculiar-shaped recess, d, in its upper edge. This recess is located below the pivoted end of the operatinglever and is provided with the inclined engaging-faces d and (Z as hereinafter .described.

The forked or bifurcated operating-lever Z2 is pivoted at one end to the upper portion of a the standard a, and at its pivotal point is provided with an enlarged portion, v.upon which are rigidly secured, preferably above and below the pivotal point of the lever, supporting sleeves or collars ff, adapted to support and hold in an upright position a vertically-adjustable operating-bar, F, which in my preferred construction is of the form of a thumb adjusting-screw provided with a thumb-head, f at its upper portion and being screwthreaded from a point about the center of its length nearly to its lower end. -This screwthreaded portion works through and is confined in the lower supporting-collar, f which in this construction is internally threaded to receive said threaded portion of the operating-bar, and the upper portion of the bar is loosely confined in the supporting-collar f. The lower portion of the operating-bar extends downwardly from the pivotal point of the operating-lever and is provided upon its lower end, below the screw-threaded portion, with an engaging head or knob, f which is adapted to extend into and be confined. in the recess d in the upper edge of the block D, carried by the slide, and to engage the faces d and d of said recess when the operating-lever is raised and lowered, and thus reciprocate the block, slide, and ruffiing-blade.

Between the point where the screw-thread upon the lower portion of the operating-bar begins and the thumb adj Listing-head f the operating-bar is provided with circular or peripherical ratchet-teethf, which in this construction extend completely around the bar. An indicating or regulating lever, G, is pivoted at g upon one side of the operating-lever b, preferably to the rear of the pivotal point of thesame, and one end of the indicating-lever is provided with a toothed sector, g, the teeth upon the outer periphery of which engage the ratchet-teeth f upon the upper portion of the lever, while extending rearwardly from the opposite side of the pivotal point of the lever G is an indicating-finger, 9 which works over the face of a graduated plate or segment, g secured to the rear portion of lever b. Thus it will be readily seen that when the operating-bar F is screwed to the limit of its downward movement the indicating-finger g will be at the top of the graduated plate, as shown in Fig. 4:; but when it is adjusted to the limit of its upward movement the indicating-finger will pass downward to the lower end of the scale upon the graduated plate, the indicating-finger being operated through the medium of the toothed segment and the teeth upon the operating-bar.

As before mentioned, the ruffler-blade-carrying slide is provided with a recess, cl, in which the lower end of the operating-bar is confined. This recess is provided with the engaging-faces d and (1 which regulate the forward throw of the ruffier-blade and the rearward throw of the same, respective]. y, and this recess is closed and narrow at its bottom portion; but its sides or engaging-faces gradually taper upward until at the top or open portion of the recess the distance between the faces is considerably more than at the closed bottom. The engaging-face d, with which the operatin g-bar engages when the operatinglever is being raised, extends upwardly and slightly rearwardly, with a slight degree of inclination, while the face d which regulates the backward throw of the rufiier-blade, is longer than the face d and is inclined from the bottom of the recess in the same direction as the opposite engaging-face, but at a considerably greater degree of inclination, as clearly shown in the drawings. Thus it will be readily seen that it makes no difference whether the operating-bar is adjusted to the limit of its upward movement or to the limit of its downward movement. The engaginghead f 3 will engage the face d of the recess d throughout the whole length of its stroke and throw the rufiiing-blade forward the same distance every stroke whenever the operatingbar is adjusted; but as the engaging-face (l is inclined rearwardly at such a great degree of inclination it will be seen. that when the operating-bar is adjusted to the limit of its downward movement it will throw the slide and ruffling-blade backward a full stroke, as the distance between the lower portions of the engaging-faces does not amount to much, and there is very little motion lost by the engaging-head when passing between the em gaging-faces of the recess; but when the operating-bar is adjusted to the limit of its upward movementthe engaging-head f will be in the upper portion of the recess, where the distance between the engaging-faces is greater than at the lower portion, and thus the motion lost by the engaging-head when passing from the face (1 to the face d is correspondingly greater and the backward stroke of the ruffiing-blade will be less, by reason of the great degree of inclination of the face 61 and thus the tucks or creases taken in the band being ruffled will be narrower and farther apart than when the operating-bar is adjusted to its opposite limit of vertical movement.

The graduated plate can be provided with a scale, whereby the person operating the machine can adjust the operating-bar and finger so that tucks or creases of any desired width or distance apart can be made in the throw the indicating-finger to the top of the scale the ruffiing-blade will be producing, say,

eight inches of ruffled goods to the yard, and when the. operating-bar is adjusted'to throw supporting plate.

the pointer to the bottom of the scale the ruffling-blade is producing, say, about thirtyfour inches of ruffled goods to the yard.

Normally located beneath the reciprocat ing rufliingbladc is a detachable separatingblade, M, which is carried by a supporting tends upwardly from the edge of. the baseplate opposite that upon which the blades are located, and is provided with an aperture, preferably through its central portion, through which is adapted to extend, when the separator-blade is in position, a stud, 712 projecting laterally from theinner surface of the upwardly-bent port-ion of the separating-blade This stud m is provided with a slot, 012:, in its periphery, which is adapted to receive the edge of a cam-head, n carried by a locking-lever, n, pivoted to the inner face of the upwardly-extending piece n slightly above and to one side of the aperture in the same. Thus it will be seen that the separator-blade is detachably locked to the base-plate and can be locked to or detached from the same by simply operating the lock-' ing-lever n.

The heel of the footB is recessed, as shown at p, and a flat spring, p, is riveted to the heel and extends partially across the recessed ure-foot which acts as a sort of bumper 1 and assists the ru'tllingblade in forming the creasesor tucks in the piece being ruffled and yielding] y holds them while being sewed to the piece of cloth to which the ruffle is bein g attached.

Parallel and horizontal adjusting blocks or screws H H are pivoted in the edge of the base-plate to turn horizontally and extend side by side transversely across and bear upon the upper side of the reciprocating ruffling-blade. These adjusting blocks or screws are convexc-convex or elliptical in cross-section, as shown, one convex surface of each face of the rattling-blade, each adjusting block or screw being what might be termed a double eccentric, orprovided with an eccens tric outer surface or double-cam surface, and in their outer ends each screw is preferably provided with a slot for the insertion of a suitable instrument for turning or adjusting said bars or blocks Thus it will be readily seen that the rufliing-blade can be made to bear with more or less pressure upon the separator-blade by simply turning the adj usting-blocks so that the convex surfaces will bear with more or less pressure upon the ruffiing-blade, and in this way the blades can be adjusted to admit of thick or thin cloth.

K represents a laterally-adjustable guide for the inner edge of the piece being ruified. This guide is preferably formed of a single piece of wire provided with a body portion extending over the base-plate just at the inner ends of the adjusting-blocks. At one end this wire is bent laterally and is confined in a horizontal slot in the base-plate, and is provided upon its outer end with a stop or enlarged portion, 7a, which confines the bent end in the slot and allows it a limited lateral movement. The opposite end of the wire is bent downwardly to form the clothengaging portion, whichextends downwardly between the inner edges of the blades and the outer edge of the base-plate, and the guide is capable of lateral adjustment by which is longer than the slot.

0 represents the usual needle hole or eye at the base of the foot portion of the rufflen Instead of constructing the operating-bar in the form of an ad justi n g-screw, as shown in Fig. -l, it is evident that a sliding bar or block might be employed, as shown in Fig. 5, the bar being provided upon one edge with ratchetteeth f, to engage the teeth of the segment carried by the regulating-lever, and the operating-bar is adjusted by the regulating-lever G, for, supposing it was desired to make the creases or tucks in the ruffie of a certain width or distance apart, it is simply necessary to move the indicating-finger until it rests upon the graduated plate over the figure which designates the desired form of ruifle.

The o1')eration of my device will be clearly evident from the drawings and foregoing de scription.

It is clearly evident: that numerous slight changes might be made in the form and construction of the various parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise form and arrangement herein set forth, but consider myself entitled to all such slight changes.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

I l. The combination, with a base-plate and j an operating-lever, of a reciprocating slide carrying the rattling-blade and provided in its upper side with the herein-described recess having a pair of engaging-faces, respectively, for the backward and forward throw of the ruffling-blade, said engagingfaces slanting upwardly, the face for the backward ,throw of the blade having a greater degree of inclination than the face for the forward i throw, and a vertically-adjustable operatingbar carried by and operating with said lever, and having its lower end confined in said recess, whereby the blade is reciprocated when,

means of the slot and laterally-bent portion,-

the lever is operated, and by which the backward throw of the blade is regulated, while the limit of its forwardthrow remains the same, substantially as described.

'2. In a ruffiing attachment, the combination of the ruffling-blade, an operating-lever, the vertically-adjustable operating-bar provided with ratchet-teeth, a graduated scale, and an indicating-finger operating over the scale andprovided with teeth meshing with the teeth of said bar, whereby the finger and bar operate simultaneously when the bar is adjusted.

3. In combination, a reciprocating ruffiingblade slide, the pivoted operating-lever, a vertically-adjustable operating-bar carried by said lever to actuate said slide, a graduated scale upon the operating-lever, and an inclicating-finger operating over said scale and pivoted to the operating-lever at one side of its pivotal point and connected at one end with the vertically-adjustable operating-bar, so that said finger and bar operate simultaneously when the bar is being adjusted.

4. In a ruffling attachment, the combination of the base-plate, the operating-lever, a vertically-adjustable operating-bar, the reciprocatingruffler-blade slide, the ruffler-blade, an upwardly-extending block on the upper face of said slide provided with engaging-faces, respectively, for the backward and forward throw of the ruffier-blade, and between which the lower end of said bar is confined, the face for the backward throw of the blade slanting upwardly at a greater degree of inclination than the face for the forward throw, a stationary horizontal guide-track held parallel with said slide by cars secured to the base-plate,

'and sleeves secured to the slide and loosely embracing said stationary track.

5. In a ruffling attachment, the combination of the reciprocating slide carrying the ruffling-blade, an operating-lever pivoted atone end, an operating-bar to actuate the rulflingblade slide and secured to the pivoted end of the operating-lever in vertical adjustment and provided with ratchet-teeth, an indicating-lever pivoted to the operating-lever and provided at one end with a toothed sector engaging the teeth of the operating-bar, and with a pointer or finger at its opposite end, and a graduated plate carried by the operating-lever and over the face of which said pointer, or finger operates, for the purpose substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the base-plate, the reciprocating rufflingblade, a detachable separator-blade, a plate carrying the same and provided with an upwardly-extending arm or flange at one end, having an inwardlyprojecting lug, a corresponding upwardly-bent arm at the outer edge of the base-plate, having an aperture for the passage of said lug, and a locking-lever pivoted to said arm of the base-plate.

7. The combination, with the base-plate and the reciprocating ruffling-blade, of a plate extending transversely beneath the baseplate, a separator-blade secured to one end of said plate, an arm provided with flanges and a lug extending upwardly from the opposite end of said plate, a corresponding arm extending upwardly from the outer edge of the baseplate and provided with an aperture, said before-mentioned arm of the separator-blade plate engaging the arm of the base plate and its lug extending through said aperture in the same, and a lever pivoted to the arm of the base-plate to engage said lug and detachably lock the separator-blade to the baseplate, as set forth.

8. In a ruftling attachment, the combination, with a base-plate and the reciprocating ruffling-blade, of a laterally-adjustable guide comprising a body portionextending over the upper face of the base-plate, a laterally-bent arm adjustably secured to the base-plate, and an arm at the opposite end of the bod yportion and extending downwardly between the edges of the base-plate and the inner edge of the ruining-blade and adapted to engage and guide the cloth operated upon, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the base-plate and the reciprocating ruffling-blade, of the hereindescribed adjusting blocks or bars pivoted or journaled at one end in the base-plate to turn on a longitudinal axis and extending from the pivotal end transversely across and bearing upon the upper face of the ruffling-blade, as set forth.

10. The combination, with the basc-plato and the reciprocating ruining-blade, of an adjusting bar or block journaled or pivoted at one end to turn on a longitudinal axis and extending transversely across and bearing upon the upper surface of the ruffiing-blade, said bar or block being provided with an eccentric outer surface, whereby the downward pressure of the ruiflingblade is regulated by rotating said bar or block so that its outer surface will bear with greater or less pressure upon said blade.

11. The combination, with a base-plate and an operating-lever, of a reciprocating slide carrying the ruffling-blade and provided in its upper face with a recess having a pair of engaging-faces, respectively, for the backward and forward throw of the ruffling-blade, the face for the backward throw of the blade slanting upwardly at a greater degree of inclination than the face for the forward throw, a vertically-adjustable operating-bar carried by said lever and having its lower end confined in said recess, a graduated scale on the operatingdever, and an indicating-finger piv- -oted to said lever, connected with said operating-bar, and operating over said scale.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDIVARD SEITZ.

Witnesses:

EDWARD M. AMES, HARRY S. MILLER. 

